Dr Joseph Satish Vedanayagam (Joseph) has nearly two decades experience working in the industry, academia and civil society sector. He has a PhD in Science, Technology & Society Studies (STS) from the University of Hyderabad, India. Joseph has degrees in Electronics Engineering and in Management. His research has been funded by several national and international organizations such as the Templeton Religion Trust via the University of Birmingham (UK), International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada), Ford Foundation (USA) and Villgro Innovations (India). Joseph has authored award-winning management case studies, one of which won the First Prize in the Social Entrepreneurship Track of the Case Writing competition organized by oikos Switzerland. Joseph has published peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters; participated and chaired panels in international conferences, notably at the University of California (Berkeley, USA) and the University of Birmingham (UK). He has also conducted training programs for various stakeholders such as government officials and educators. He has also organized multiple panels, workshops and conferences in collaboration with national and international stakeholders.
2022
PhD in Science, Technology & Society Studies (STS)
Centre for Knowledge, Culture & Innovation Studies, University of Hyderabad, India
2011
Post Graduate Diploma in Management (MBA)
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), India
2006
Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics and Communication)
Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India
2023-26
Assistant Professor, Department of Management Studies, Saveetha Engineering College (Anna University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu
2022-23
Research Fellow, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu
2011-12 & 2015-18
Research Associate, Centre for World Solidarity (CWS), Secunderabad, India
2012-15
Knowledge Manager, Livelihoods MANTHAN
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), India
2006-09
Programmer Analyst, Cognizant Technology Solutions
Chennai, India
2022-23
“Missionary science and social justice in postcolonial India: The evolution of Jesuit science in the Madurai Province, 1952-2019” supported with a grant from Templeton Religion Trust, awarded via the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society (INSBS), hosted at the University of Birmingham, UK
2015-22
Doctoral research. Title: “Scientific Research as Spiritual Mission: A social history of the Madurai Jesuits and their scientific practice in independent India”
2012-14
“Livelihoods MANTHAN Online Knowledge Repository” supported by Ford Foundation (USA) via Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
2012
“Universities and intermediaries for socially inclusive development (UNIID)” supported by International Development Research Centre (Canada) via XIMB;
2011-12
“Assessing Social Enterprises: the need for new parameters” for Centre for World Solidarity (CWS), supported with a grant from IDRC, Canada via Villgro India
2011
Conducted an independent research study on Social Entrepreneurship in India through the work of Ashoka Fellows
2010
As part of an action-research project for Child Rights and You (CRY), performed a situational analysis of the social and political conditions of Surya Nagar, an urban settlement in Chennai leading to the creation of a public action group
2021-24
Committee Coordinator, Backchannels (Society for Social Studies of Science)
2016-2020
Assistant Editor (Global South), Backchannels
2017-22
Editor-at-Large, Toynbee Prize Foundation
Contributed articles on the global history of science and public policy
2016-17
Editor (Book Reviews), Intersect: The Stanford Journal of STS
Published book review essays on science, technology and public policy
2013-15
Designed and edited ‘LIVEwire’, a quarterly newsletter on training for livelihoods promotion in India.
2019
Jesuit Spirituality and Gandhian Praxis: Embracing an Inter-Faith Dialogue that does Environmental Justice in India. Journal of Rural Development 38(3):466-481
http://dx.doi.org/10.25175/jrd/2019/v38/i3/147922
2019
Engaging Religion in the Fight for Environmental Justice: Jesuits and Conservation in the Palni Hills of South India. Arcadia (Summer 2019, no. 24).
https://doi.org/10.5282/rcc/8768
2013
“Feasibility of farming for a small farmer today.” The Hindu Survey of Indian Agriculture 2012, 16-18
2020
“Exploring the Many Meanings of Purpose and Dialogue in Religion and Science.” Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences, 50(3), 311–322.
https://doi.org/10.1525/hsns.2020.50.3.311
2019
“Beyond the Conflict Thesis: Studying Science and Religion as Public Policy.” Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences, 49(4), 459–469.
2025
“AI, Innovation and Economic Shifts: A Management Perspective” with Ramasundaram, G., Catherine Rex. S et al. (Lambert Academic Publishing)
2015
“Handbook of Livelihoods Education in India”. With Shambu Prasad C. Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
2024
“The Sociotechnical Imaginary of Pedro Arrupe: Engaging with Emerging Technologies as a Missionary Endeavour”. In J. Kozhanthadam & S. Jayard (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity: Critical Reflections on the Social, Ethical and Religious Impact of AI. ISPCK Books
2018
“Embedding Diversity in Social Entrepreneurial Research: India’s Learning Laboratories” (with Shambu Prasad C). In A. Agrawal & P. Kumar (Eds.), Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business Models: The Case of India (pp. 3–30). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74488-9_1
2018
“The role of higher education in sustainable development: Rethinking national systems of innovation in India”. In Energy, Peace and Global Governance (pp. 7-19). Xavier University Press. (ISBN: 978-81-932256-5-3).
2014
Anna Mani, meteorologist (1918-2001). In F. Piron (Ed.), Femmes savantes, femmes de science (pp.41-51). Éditions science et bien commun. https://scienceetbiencommun.pressbooks.pub/femmessavantes/chapter/anna-mani-meteorologue-1918-2001/
2013
“Contextualizing the Developmental University in India” (with Shambu Prasad C and KVG Krishnamurthy). In Rethinking Universities for Development: Intermediaries, Innovation & Inclusion (pp. 5-25). XIMB & Centre for Education and Documentation, Bengaluru http://www.ced.org.in/docs/kics/UNIID/Rethinking_Universities.pdf#15
2017
“Dharani: Nurturing the earth, fostering farmers’ livelihoods” (with Shambu Prasad C)
First Prize, oikos Case Writing Competition, Sustainable Entrepreneurship Track https://oikos-international.org/publications/dharani/
2014
“Fishing for Innovation: The Women Entrepreneurs of Samudram Women’s Federation, Orissa” (with Nishant Kumar and Jeevan Arakal).
Second prize in Sitaram Rao Livelihoods India—Case Study Competition conducted by ACCESS Development Services https://tinyurl.com/ytkj43mc
2012
“Reinventing rural-urban relationships: The case of Grassroutes Journeys” as part of research project for Centre for World Solidarity and Villgro India
2012
“Reading into children’s lives: The case of Manchi Pustakam” as part of research project for Centre for World Solidarity and Villgro India
2025
Co-convenor, International Conference on Emerging Practices in Business and Management (ICEPBM) organized by the Department of Management Studies, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai (May 22-23)
2021
Co-organizer, Online workshop on “Collective writing and editing practices of short pieces for Backchannels” at 2021 Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, Toronto, Canada (October 8)
2018
Organizer, Panel titled “Being Religious, Being Scientific: The Dynamics of Science and Religion in the Laboratory” at 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science, Sydney, Australia (September 1)
2015
Co-organizer, National conference on “Co-creating new practice: Innovations in livelihoods education” at XIM, Bhubaneswar (February 5-6)
2014
Co-organizer, Workshop on “Innovating an Engineering for Society Curriculum” in collaboration with Centre for World Solidarity (Secunderabad), Maastricht University (Netherlands) and BV Raju Institute of Technology at Narsapur, Telangana (November 21-22)
2012
Co-organizer, National workshop on “Markets that empower Farmers & Consumers” for Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) in Bhubaneswar (July 30-31)
2012
Co-organizer, Research meeting on “Rethinking universities in India: Intermediaries for socially inclusive development” at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (January 8-9)
2021
Awarded Digital Inclusion Bursary for participation in the 2nd Annual Conference of the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society, UK
2018
Only PhD student from India to host an open panel at 4S Conference at Sydney, Australia. Travel fellowship from the Society for Social Studies of Science, USA.
2018
Travel fellowship from the University of California, Berkeley, USA
2017
Full scholarship to participate in UCSIA Summer School, Antwerp, Belgium. Travel grant from University Centre St. Ignatius, Antwerp.
2017
First prize in the Oikos International Case Study Competition in the Social Entrepreneurship track, organized by Oikos Switzerland
2012
Travel grant from the International Institute of Education, New York, to participate in ISIRC Conference, UK
2011
Father M. V. D. Bogaert Gold Medal awarded by Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
2011
Certificate of Merit for securing 5th place among the batch of 60 graduating students of PGDM (RM) 2009-11 at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
2010
Second prize in Sitaram Rao National Case Study Competition organized by ACCESS Development Services
2009
SCOPE Award for Excellence in Work by Cognizant Technology Solutions
